The Sword Coast
The Sword Coast is a region in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. Summary The Sword Coast is a region in western Faerûn that lays along the coast of the Sea of Swords. It is bordered by the Delimbiyr Vale in the North, and to the south by the merchant nation of Amn. Some say the Sword Coast takes its name from the white cliffs that rise up sharply for hundreds of miles along the coastline between the River Dessarin and Baldur's Gate. Traveling author Volothamp Geddarm attributes the region's name to its dangerous inhabitants, both humanoid and bestial. Notable Locales Baldur's Gate :Baldur's Gate, also called simply the Gate, is the largest metropolis and city-state on the Sword Coast, located on the north-eastern border of the Western Heartlands. It is a crowded city of commerce and opportunity, perhaps the most prosperous and influential merchant city on the western coast of Faerûn. Despite its long-standing presence as a neutral power, the leaders of Baldur's Gate are members of the Lords' Alliance of powers in the west. Candlekeep :Candlekeep is a towered library-fortress that stands on a crag overlooking the Sea of Swords. The library is filled with books and scrolls of knowledge, considered the greatest collection of the writings in all of Faerûn. Aside from the edicts dictated by the stronghold's Keepers throughout the years, Candlekeep has but one absolute rule: "Those who destroy knowledge, with ink, fire, or sword, are themselves destroyed". Daggerford :Daggerford is a town that lays along the Shining River in the Western Heartlands. It is a walled town, strategically placed along the Trade Way and fortified by the local duke's dwarven-built castle. It is primarily a farming community, but a desire to grow and be seen as an alternative to the northern city Waterdeep has motivated the town to actively seek craftsmen and artisans. Elturel :Elturel is a city-state lying on the River Chionthar in the Western Heartlands. A center for agriculture and trade in the region, it is renowned for the Companion, a magical second sun that burns above the city night and day. It is the capital of the realm of Elturgard, a theocracy of Torm. The Greenfields :The Greenfields is a region of farms and rolling grasslands in the Western Heartlands just north of Amn. There are a number of little settlements dotting the area, the most notable being the thriving agricultural town of Greenest. Icewind Dale :Icewind Dale is an icy tundra and the northernmost explored area of Faerûn. Its only permanent settlements are known as Ten-Towns, a confederation of a number of minor settlements cooperating with each other. The region is mainly populated by fishermen, craftsmen, rangers, dwarves, barbarians, and merchants. Luskan :Luskan, also known as the "City of Sails", is a port city at the mouth of the River Mirar, far north on the Sword Coast. It is the gateway to the frozen lands northward, and as such is a perfect market for ore from the Spine of the World and scrimshaw from Icewind Dale. Neverwinter :Neverwinter, also known as the "City of Skilled Hands" and the "Jewel of the North", is a multi-racial city-state sitting on the northwestern Sword Coast of Faerûn. Silverymoon :Silverymoon is often dubbed "the Gem of the North", and is one of the few civilized places in the middle of the rough and untamed wilderness that is the North of Faerûn. It has a rich cultural life and is renowned as a meeting place for all races that are morally inclined towards good. The city is also famous for its pervading tradition of magic, and is home to many notable wizards, sorcerers and other mages. The Trade Way :The Trade Way is a long, well traveled trade road along the west coast of Faerûn. It starts well south of the Sword Coast in Calimport and travels north along the coast-line all the way to Waterdeep. The section of road between Tethyr and Baldur's Gate is also known as The Coast Way on some maps. Waterdeep :Also known as the "City of Splendors" or the "Crown of the North", Waterdeep is the most important and influential city in the North and perhaps in all Faerûn. The city is a hub of trading from the mineral-rich lands to the north, the merchant kingdoms of Amn and Calimshan to the south, the kingdoms of the Inner Sea to the east, and the sea kingdoms and traders to the west. :Waterdeep was named for its outstanding natural deep-water harbor, and the city that grew up at this site became the commercial crossroads of the northern Realms. More than 100,000 people make their home in Waterdeep. Life on the Sword Coast History Module Appearances Novel Appearances